Tree stand



March 15, 1960 c, HOLMES ETAL 2,928,633

TREE STAND Filed June 24, 1957 u .E QM V m mhw w 4 M 90M m 6 TREE STAND Carlton A. Holmes and Duane 0. Madsen, Duluth, Minn., assignors to fialvorson Trees, Inc., Duluth, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application June 24, 1957, Serial No. 667,323

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-44) The invention herein has relation to a tree stand or holder of the general character and for the same purpose as are the tree stands or holders disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,337,914, granted December 28, 1943, to Roy W. Meldrum, and in copending application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 548,- 350, filed November 22, 1955, by Louis A. Pazandak, having common ownership with this application and now abandoned.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved stand or holder of simple, practical and inexatent O pensive construction devised to be especially useful for the purpose of supporting Christmas trees in upright position.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a tree stand or holder made according to the invention as when applied to use;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view'of the tree stand or holder;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on the scale of Fig. 2, disclosing a cylindrical sleeve of the stand or holder as when disassembled from an upper base wall and a strut unit thereof;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view detailing features of the strut unit of the stand or holder; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view corresponding with the disclosure of Fig. 2.

A container of the stand or holder, for water and/or prepared solution, is constituted as an upper base member and a lower base member 11. Said upper and lower base members can be of any rigid material suitable for their purpose. In the disclosure as made, each of the upper and lower base members is metallic. Desirably, 28 gauge metal (0.0149") can be employed. The lower base member 11 is of disc shape and the upper base member 10 is of convex configuration. An annular flange 12 upon the periphery of said upper base member is clamped about the periphery of said lower base member and an annular gasket 13 thereon to provide a leakproof seal between the upper and lower base members.

A centrally disposed portion 14 of the upper base member 10, in spaced, parallel relation to the lower base member 11, is provided with a filler opening 15 for receiving'water and/or prepared solution to be poured into the container. A desirably cylindrical flange 16, bounding or defining said filler opening, extends downwardly from said centrally disposed portion 14 in integral relation thereto and in perpendicular relation to the lower base member 11. The lower end 17 of the cylindrical flange 16 terminates in a plane spaced from and parallel with said lower base member, as well as spaced from and substantially parallel with the centrally disposed portion 14. The lower end portion of said cylindrical flange is offsetinteriorly to provide an annular lip 33, and an external surface of said annular lip is shaped to provide a rounded edge 34 contiguous with the lower end 17 of the cylindrical. flange. Save for said filler opening, the container 2,928,633 Patented Mar. 15, 1960 consisting of the lower and upper base members is closed.

An annular depression 18, in the centrally disposed portion 14 of the upper base member 10 and in spaced, concentric, surrounding relation to the cylindrical flange 16, bounds or defines the outer circumferential margin of an annular element 19 of said centrally disposed portion an upwardly facing, external surface of which is convex and a downwardly facing, internal surface of which is concave. The inner circumferential margin of said annular element merges in the upper end of the cylindrical flange 16.

A strut unit 20 of the stand or holder, Within the container, also can be of any material suitable to its purpose. As shown, said strut unit is metallic. It desirably can be of 22 gauge metal (0.030").

Supporting legs, each represented 21, are in spaced relation to each other at diametrically opposite sides of the strut unit and extend upwardly and somewhat in wardly from the interior edges of supporting elements, each indicated 22, at the bottom of said. strut unit. Each supporting element 22 is of crescent shape as disclosed,

and each supporting leg 21 is straight longitudinally and.

of arc shape transversely thereof. The supporting leg and element at each side of the strut unit as shown are continuous throughout an arc of 120 degrees, more or less.

An annular member 23 of the strut unit, at the top thereof, is in spaced, parallel relation to the supporting elements 22 and continuous about the circumference of said strut unit. An upwardly facing, external surface of the annular member is convex and a downwardly facing,

" internal surface thereof is concave. Portions of the outer circumferential margin of said annular member merge in the upper ends of the arcuate supporting legs 21, respectively, and the inner circumferential margin of the annular member merges in the upper end of a cylindrical flange 24 of the strut unit which extends downwardly from said annular member within and in spaced, concentric relation to said arcuate supporting legs and in perpendicular relation to said supporting elements.

The strut unit desirably may have overall length approximately equal to a measurement representing the distance between the lower base member 11 of the container and the annular element 19 of the centrally disposed portion 14 of the upper base member 10 of said container. When the parts of the tree holder are assembled, the supporting elements 22 of the strut unit may rest squarely upon the internal surfaceof the lower base member or be in slightly spaced relation thereto, the ex' ternal convex surface of the annular member 23 of said strut unit and the internal concave surface of the annular element 19 of said centrally disposed portion of said upper base member will be closely fitted to and in pressing engagement with each other, the internal surfaceof the cylindrical flange 24 of the strut unit and the external surface of the cylindrical flange 16 of the upper base' member also will be in close fitting and engaged relation and the lower ends of said cylindrical flanges will terminate in a single plane.

A desirably cylindrical sleeve 25 of the stand or holder can be of anyrigid material suitable to its purpose. As disclosed, said cylindrical sleeve is constituted as plastic material, so-called.

A first annular rib 26 integral with an external surface of a lower portion of the cylindrical sleeve 25 provides a downwardly facing, annular shoulder or surface 27 in contiguous surrounding relation to said cylindrical sleeve, and a second annular rib 28- integral with an external surface adjacent the lower end of the cylindrical sleeve provides an upwardly facing, annula'rshoulder or surface sleeve and in spaced,-parallelfrelation to the downwardly and upwardly facing annular shoulders 27 and 29 are in.

a plane passed perpendicularly through the cylindrical sleeve 25. The lower end portion of said cylindrical sleeve is cut away to provide an oblique annular surface 30 extending upwardly and outwardly from the lower end of the cylindrical sleeve to the periphery of a lower part of the second annular rib 28. i a V V The cylindrical sleeve 25 will be composedof material having suflicient rigidity to be capable of being forcibly assembled with the container and strut unit of the stand or holder and to retaina tree assembled therewith in upright position. And saidcylindrical sleeve will be of such nature that an upper portion thereof can be constricted.

The upper and lower base members and 11 of the container and the strut unit 20 of the stand or holder will be assembled, as disclosed in'Fig. 3015 the drawing,

cially when stored and shipped in large quantities. In many instances, tree stands heretofore known have sprtmg leaks at the locations of their filler openings by reason of rough handling. Often the stands are dropped on edges thereof and leakage results. By experiment and experience, when tree stands made. according to the present invention are permitted to fall, or otherwise roughly before the cylindrical sleeve 25 is incorporated-inthe structure. In said Fig. 3 said cylindrical sleeve is disclosed as when about to be inserted by force into the cylindrical flange 16 of said upperbase member. Forcible insertionis to be made while the cylindrical sleeve is unheated. The oblique annular surface 30 of said cylindrical sleeve is of diameter at the outer, upper circumference thereof somewhat;greater than is the diameter of the internal surface of the annular lip 33 of the cylindrical flange 16 when unstretched, as it is disclosed in Fig. 3. Said cylindricalflange 16 and the cylindrical flange 24 of the strut unit will be radially stretched in response to forcible entry of the cylindrical sleeve into the container and the external surface of the cylindrical flange 16 will be pressingly engaged against the internal surface of said cylindrical flange 24. l I

The downwardly and upwardly facing annular shoulders or surfaces 27 and 29 provided by the first and sec: ond annular ribs 26 and 28, respectively, upon the cylindrical sleeve are spaced apart a distance less than are the external convex'surface of, the annular element 19 and the lower ends of the cylindrical flanges 16 and 24. The construction and arrangement will be such that when the upwardly facing shoulder or surface 29shall have been forced downwardly to position where in transverse alinement with said lower end of said cylindrical flange 16, the downwardly facing annular shoulder or surface 27 will have engaged the external convex surface of said annular element and caused'the internal concave surface thereof to become pressingly engaged against the external convex surface of the annular member of the; strut unit. When said upwardly facing shoulder or surface becomes transversely alined with the lower end of the cylindrical flange 16, said radially stretched. cylindrical flanges 16 and 24 will be permitted to become partially unstretched thus to seat the upwardly facing shoulder or surface 29 of the second annular rib 28 in pressingly engaged relation with the lowerends of the cylindrical flanges 16 and 24. The portions of the upper base member and the strut unit which are between the first and second annular ribs when said cylindrical sleeve and said strut unit are assembled will be in snug, pressing engagement witheach other to provide a rigid, fluid-tightjoint. Stated otherwise, the cylindrical sleeve will be rigidly supported in vertical position upon and secured in fluid-proof manner to the container of the stand or holder.

The strut unit 29 functionsrto maintain the upper and lower base members of the container of the stand or holder in spaced relation and the cylindrical flange 16 in upright position while the cylindrical sleeve 25 is being forcibly inserted into its assembled position. The cylindrical flange 24 ofthe strut unit and said cylindrical sleeve when inserted grasp said cylindrical flange 16 therebetween under resilient pressure. The internal concave surface of the annular element 19 and the external .convex surface of the annular member 23 are maintained in pressingly engaged relation. Tree stands of the present general character are subjected to rough handling, espehandled, there is no resultant leakage. Forces causing sidewise swinging movement of the cylindrical sleeves, such as 25, of the stands merely produce lateral flexing movement of the cylindrical flanges 16 and 24 together as a unit. There is no resultant spreading movement causing leakage at the locations of the filler openings.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a Christmas tree is disclosed as when supported in and upon the stand or holder. Trees are inserted in and assembled with the cylindrical sleeves, such as 25, after the parts of the stands or holders are assembled so that the lower end portions of the trees are within the containers and the lower ends of the trees rest upon the lower base members, such as 11, of said containers. v

' The upper portion of the cylindrical member is constricted, after insertion of a tree, between spaced apart upper and lower locations, denoted 31 and 32,. respectively, to firmly engage the tree trunk in fluid-tight relation thereto. The constriction causes the tree'to be rigidly supported in vertical position in the stand or holder and also provides a fluid-proof joint between the cylindrical sleeve and the tree tlunk precluding passage of liquid fromthe stand or holder, except by absorption. The lower end portion of the tree trunk is within the fluid in the container.

When the cylindrical sleeves are constituted as plastic material, they are heated and constricted upon trees while hot, thus to cause flow of the plastic materialinto inter stices of the trunks of the trees and thereby provide fluidtight engagement between the sleeves and tree trunks.

Provision of the rounded edge 34 at the lower end 17 of the cylindrical flange 16 is to the end thatv shearing action which could otherwise be applied at the upwardly facing annular shoulder 29 will be reduced, and both said upwardlyfacing annular shoulder and the downwardly facing annular shoulder 27 are founded with the end in view that shearing action will be reduced.

The interiorly offset annular lip 33 constituting the lower end of the cylindrical flange 16 is in gripping relation to the external surface of the cylindrical sleeve 25 to transmit at least some of the shearingstress which might otherwise be transmitted to the upper base member 10 to said cylindrical sleeve. And, too, pressing engagement against each other of said annular lip 33 and the external surface of the-cylindrical sleeve increases the effectiveness of the liquid seal.

What is claimed is:

1. A stand for supporting a trunk of a tree, comprising a fluid-tight container including a lower member to be rested upon a surface and an upper member providing an intermediate portion in spaced relation to said lower member and having an opening therethrough, an annular element constituted as a part of said intermediate portion of the upper member having an upwardly facing convex sursurrounding relation'to said first continuous cylindrical flange, a resilient hollow cylindrical sleeve having a lower end portion thereof situated in said opening in pressingly engaged relation with an internal surface of the first continuous cylindrical flange and retaining an external surternal surface of said second continuous cylindrical flange,

a downwardly facing surface integral with a portion of an external surface of the hollow cylindrical sleeve above the annular element and an upwardly facing surface integral with an external surface of said hollow cylindrical sleeve at a location below and in spaced relation to said downwardly facing surface, said downwardly facing surface being in proximate relation to the upwardly facing convex surface of said annular element, said upwardly facing surface being in proximate relation to the lower end of at least one of said continuous cylindrical flanges and the downwardly and upwardly facing surfaces in cooperation with each other maintaining the downwardly facing concave surface of the annular element and the 15 2,838,789

upwardly facing convex surface of theannular member 5 in pressingly engaged relation.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein a lower end portion of said first continuous cylindrical flange is constituted as an interiorly offset lip in grip-' ping ly engaged relation with an external surface of said hollow cylindrical sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Tallrnadge Jan. 20, 1931 1,789,789 7 2,337,914 Meldrurn Dec. 28, 1943 2,455,131 Masterson Nov. 30, 1948 2,693,358 Davidson Nov. 2, 1954 Pazandak June 17, 1958 

